migrant

American  

[mahy-gruhnt] / ˈmaɪ grənt /

adjective

1. migrating, especially of people; migratory.

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noun

1. a person or animal that migrates.

2. a person who attempts to permanently relocate to a new country, but who may be subject to removal by the government of that country: unaccompanied child migrants.

   undocumented migrants;

   unaccompanied child migrants.

3. Also called migrant worker.  a person who moves from place to place to get work, especially a farm laborer who harvests crops seasonally.

migrant British  

/ ˈmaɪɡrənt /

noun

1. a person or animal that moves from one region, place, or country to another

2. an itinerant agricultural worker who travels from one district to another

3. 1. an immigrant, esp a recent one

   2. ( as modifier )

      a migrant hostel

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adjective

1. moving from one region, place, or country to another; migratory

Other Word Forms

• nonmigrant adjective
• unmigrant adjective

Etymology

Origin of migrant

1665–75; < Latin migrant- (stem of migrāns ), present participle of migrāre. See migrate, -ant

Example Sentences

Israel Ibarra, a migration expert at the College of the Northern Border, said migrants returning to war-torn communities often end up having to leave again.

From Los Angeles Times

A group of aid workers who were put on trial in Greece for rescuing migrants on the island of Lesbos have been acquitted of all charges.

From BBC

Last year saw the second-highest annual number of migrants arrive on UK shores in small boats since records were started in 2018.

From Barron's

Libyan authorities have uncovered a mass grave containing the bodies of 21 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, local media reported Thursday.

From Barron's

Several months ago, Belarus forcibly deported the young migrant mother to her west African homeland without her baby, according to Soumah and rights groups that have taken up her case.

From Barron's

Related Words

• emigrant
• evacuee
• expatriate
• immigrant
• traveler